When Brooklyn's Tiny Victories wanted a music video that gave their breakout track, “Mr. Bones,” a visual life, they turned to Nice Shoes’ creative director Brian Bowman for assistance.
In the video, the band performs while bathed in pulsing lights and colors referencing the LSD-lased imagery of the 1960s. But for an unconventional touch, Bowman constructed two giant screens that served as the backdrop. These custom creations acted as canvases for his moody projections and were personally controlled through the director's haptic iPhone interface.
"The song for me is about the memory of somebody, not necessarily the reality of somebody," detailed Bowman. "The projections became about those memories living in an illuminated space."
Creating that space was not without its challenges. The screens needed to be large but featherweight so that they could be hung from the ceiling. Bowman also personally ensured that the massive screens were seamless so that the gorgeous backlit projections filled the entire surface during the performance.
The projections themselves were controlled during the shoot using VDMX haptic technology. Originally intended for VJs, the highly customizable platform worked in conjunction with Open Sound Control (OSC) and the iPhone to transmit touchscreen command signals over Wi-Fi to a computer. This allowed the projected memories to react in real time to the swipe of a fingertip, resulting in a dynamic visual experience. Bowman's hands-on approach was later replicated at Tiny Victories' EP release party.
Bowman's deep involvement reflected both his love for layered electronic music and a passion for all things practical.
"I wanted the video to reflect that in some way," he explained. "Different ways of layering up images that were kind of retro without using plug-ins. The particles are practical. That's eye shadow glitter flying into the camera. We did a lot with LED flashlights or shooting into the projector to create the lens flares. It's a DIY aesthetic that's meant to be experimental."